Maharashtra Board Exam 2019: No Lok Sabha poll duty for SSC, HSC teachers

Mumbai, Mar 14: Over 50,000 teachers of class 10 and class 12 in Maharashtra will no longer be enrolled for Lok Sabha election duties, as per the Election Commission.

Assistant Chief Electoral Officer A N Walvi Wednesday issued a circular excluding teachers of class 10 (SSC) and class 12 (HSC), whose number is estimated to be over 50,000, from poll duties.

The exams are conducted by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE).

After holding talks with various departments, the electoral office decided to exclude these teachers from election duties.

Teachers of other classes will, however, are not excluded from this task. Election duties for teachers typically include undergoing training for the process, working at booths on days of voting and counting, collecting poll material etc.

Under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, teachers are allowed three assignments Census, disasters and elections.

However, teachers' groups say that poll duties result in wasting of teaching time, as they are also called for training a few days ahead of the elections .

Lok Sabha elections for all 48 seats will be held in four phases in Maharashtra between April 11 and April 29.